Early Man and the Issue of Weak Bones: How Sedentary Lifestyle Led to Now

Medicine & Technology Dec 25, 2014

The age of agriculture brought stable food supply to the human population―but it also brought weak bones.

Cones & Rods Fossilized in Ancient Fish Eyes, What they Tell Us About the View from the Past

Dec 25, 2014

The newest discovery of fossilized fish, whose eyes have remained largely intact, has provided the proof that the human eye's ability to see in color developed hundreds of millions of years ago.

Can the Blood of Survivors Help Cure Ebola? The Limitations and Expectations of a New Vaccine

Dec 24, 2014

The antibodies from the blood of survivors of the deadly disease may finally enable researchers to create a treatment that is effective against all the strains of the virus and stop its spread across Africa and the rest of the world.

Indoor Tanning Can Lead to Health Hazards Such as Burns and Skin Cancer

Dec 24, 2014

A recent study found that indoor tanning is not as harmless as it appears to be. According to the study conducted by researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), indoor tanning has sent people to hospitals after getting burns, eye injuries, and loss of consciousness. Among the long-term effects associated with the activity are: cancer of the skin, cataracts and melanoma.

New Study of the Brain Reveals Smartphone Use Changes It

Dec 23, 2014

Ever think your electronics may change the way your brain functions? Well as it so happens a new study shows that smartphone usage leaves a mark on the part of your brain that processes touch, although it actually makes you smarter. Swiss researchers were curious about the effect of using digital devices on the digits doing the swiping and tapping, and now according to the study published in the journal Current Biology, all of the typing with your thumb and swiping with your index and middle fingers may be training your brain's somatosensory cortex.

Tick-Bourne ‘Bourbon Virus’ Wreaks Havoc on Kansas

Dec 23, 2014

While these little arachnids are not much to look at, ticks are the carriers of a myriad of diseases, which makes them of great importance to researchers. History has shown that they can cause sepsis, this past summer researchers discovered that the Lone Star tick can create a severe allergy to red meats, and now health officials from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that a new tick-borne virus can even cause multiple organ failure.

Hep-C Treatment On a Budget - Why Prices are Plummeting

Dec 23, 2014

After months of waiting and anticipation, the hepatitis C treatment price wars are finally getting under way. Express Scripts, the largest pharmacy benefits manager in the U.S., has released a new treatment from AbbVie as its exclusive treatment for patients with genotype 1, the most common form of the chronic disease. This drug covers 75% of the estimated 3.2 million Americans who are infected. And this new drug will likely change the market for the hepatitis C treatments that are currently led by a pair of medications from Gilead Sciences which is likely to reach $20 billion in revenue next year thanks to demand for its treatments.

Mother's Depression When Children Are Young Linked To Risky Teen Behaviors

Dec 23, 2014

According to a new Canadian study, having a depressed mother during elementary or middle school increases the likelihood that a child will engage in risky behaviors like drinking and smoking during the teen years.

Dr. Oz's Health Recommendations Fall Short of Science

Dec 23, 2014

Dr. Mehmet Oz, better known as Dr. Oz or "America's Doctor," comes under scrutiny this week as researchers from Canada's University of Alberta publish a study that proves less than one-third of his medical suggestions are based in scientific fact.

Why the CDC Says Bay Area Residents are In For the Flu Season of Their Lives

Dec 23, 2014

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a warning that this year's flu season could be one of the worst to date. The CDC issued a warning on Friday that the flu season has started earlier than expected and is spreading rapidly. Already reaching 29 of the 54 states and territories, this year's flu is spreading faster than previously seen. In comparison, at the same time last year, it had only spread to four states.

Memory Restoration Now Possible? Neurologists Find New Secrets to Synapses Storage

Dec 22, 2014

Neurologists have discovered that memory restoration may be a near possibility. In a recent study, researchers from UCLA's department of Integrative Biology and Neurobiology found that memories are not stored in the synapses, as was once believed.

Reading From an E-Reader Before Bedtime Disrupts Sleep- Study

Dec 22, 2014

In an age of computer graphics, social media, and the ever-present technology that plays such a vital role in our daily lives, it comes as no surprise that even in the moments before we close our eyes every night that we are consumed with checking that last status or watching a video or two. Sometimes, we just want to have some good, old traditional reading using an electronic reading material and wait until we get drowsy and sleepy. However, a new study published this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences revealed that reading through electronic devices such as iPad, smart phones and other similar devices before bedtime could disrupt sleep patterns, affecting sleep quality, and affecting long-term health.

Fast Food May Affect "School Performance"

Dec 22, 2014

The performance of a student in the classroom may be affected by how much fast food one eats. A recent study published in the journal Clinical Pediatrics found that fifth-graders who ate fast food had weaker abilities in the subject areas of math, science and reading by the time they reached the eighth grade.

Sweets May Swell Your Brain—Caramel Apples & Listeria

Dec 21, 2014

Want to give something sweet this Christmas as an added treat? Well, you may want to reconsider. While cookies and cakes may be safe, one Autumn treat may carry along with it a bad tiding, and a serious infection as well. Though caramel apples are often an Autumn/Winter treat, health officials with the US Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are saying that they may be the link between a multi-state Listeria outbreak that has to date led to more than four deaths, and dozens of hospitalizations. Spanning the states of Texas, Arizona and Minnesota, the CDC confirms that the bacterial infections came after ingestion of pre-packaged caramel apples, and now the patients are facing life-threatening complications.

Real-World Medicine Man Or Phony? MDs Weigh In on the Dr. Oz Debate

Dec 20, 2014

Before the age of medical doctors and precise pharmaceuticals, people turned to the aid of medicine men, tribal councils and even shaman to heal all sorts of ailments. Herbal remedies were prescribed, and more often than not, the symptoms would disappear, or the person whose ailments would escalate would disappear too with the problem. But do you know who they never asked for help? Television personalities—not even those with medical degrees.